ANN ARBOR, MICH. — When 3-point shots went up too early for Matt Painter's liking, the Purdue men's basketball coach used a quick hook.

When his team needed a spark, a walk-on took the floor six minutes into a road game against the Big Ten Conference leader. When a key reserve didn't meet team expectations, Painter kept him on the bench.

Early in Thursday's 75-66 loss to No. 10 Michigan at Crisler Center, Painter attempted to send his team a message. It's not yet clear if the Boilermakers, facing their first three-game losing streak of the season, have received it.

"We just have to buy into what the coaches want from us," said senior guard Sterling Carter, who played a season-high 25 minutes off the bench. "I feel like some of us do and some of us don't, so we've just got to figure out how to become a unit and do what the coaches ask."

Michigan (16-4, 8-0 Big Ten), which rose from No. 21 to 10 in the Associated Press poll after three straight wins over top-10 opponents, led by 17 with less than five minutes to play. Two-time reigning Big Ten Player of the Week Nik Stauskas scored 16 points to lead four Wolverines in double figures.

While Purdue helped force 16 Michigan turnovers, it couldn't prevent the Wolverines from shooting 61 percent from the field — including an outrageous 68.2 percent in the second half. The Boilers failed to capitalize on transition chances off of turnovers in the first half and turned a potential four-point halftime deficit into an eight-point hole with two critical mental errors.

Painter glanced at the Big Ten standings on a television screen as he stepped to the post-game press conference podium. To climb out of the trailing pack, the veteran coach says his team must capitalize on the opportunities it's already creating.

"Tonight I thought we had some good opportunities," Painter said. "I thought we had some open shots; we go 2-for-14 from 3, we're 8-for-15 from the free throw line. And then just the breakdowns on defense.

"... In this league, the ball's not going to always go in. You've got to grind it out and get stops and we haven't been able to do that the last couple of games."

The Boilermakers, who trailed 18-8 early, were within six points with 4.8 seconds left in the first half when Terone Johnson drew a foul. Before the senior guard could attempt the front end of the one-and-one, sophomore center A.J. Hammons leaned forward, lost his balance and stepped in the lane.

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: A. J. Hammons #20 of the Purdue Boilermakers drives the ball to the basket during the first half of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Derrick Walton Jr #10 of the Michigan Wolverines drives the ball to the basket during the first half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Sterling Carter #1 of the Purdue Boilermakers drives the ball to the basket during the first half of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Nik Stauskas #11 of the Michigan Wolverines drives the ball to the basket as Travis Carrol #50 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends during the first half of the game at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Nik Stauskas #11 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a three-point shot as Sterling Catrter #1 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends during the first half of the game at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Nik Stauskas #11 of the Michigan Wolverines drives the ball to the basket as Terone Johnson #0 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends during the first half of the game at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Nik Stauskas #11 of the Michigan Wolverines drives the ball to the basket as Travis Carrol #50 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends during the first half of the game at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 30: Basil Smotherman #5 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball over Caris Levert #23 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Leon Halip Getty Images

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The violation wiped out the attempt and gave Michigan the ball. Wolverines point guard Derrick Walton, Jr., the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week, went coast-to-coast for a buzzer-beating layup to secure a 37-29 halftime lead.

"Both of those were my fault," said Hammons, who posted 16 points and eight rebounds. "Coach told me to get back, but I wasn't paying attention, and I thought I could just stop the ball, so that was pretty much on me."

Painter's desire for improved shot selection led him to shake up his rotation early. Rapheal Davis missed a 3 early in the shot clock two minutes in, so in came Kendall Stephens. When Stephens put up a contested 3 right off of an inbounds pass about a minute later, Painter sent Carter to relieve him.

Toyra, who hadn't played in a Big Ten game this season or at all since Dec. 17, entered with 13:49 left in the first half. The Faith Christian product sported a face guard over the large bandage on his nose, the result of an injury suffered in a practice collision with Basil Smotherman.

Redshirt freshman center Jay Simpson, who has started six games and averages 12.3 minutes, did not play.

"He's got to learn to carry out what he need to do on a daily basis," Painter said. "If he does that, then we'll play him."

A Hammons basket with 18:25 left in the second half pulled Purdue within 41-35. But Jordan Morgan responded with a dunk at the other end, and by the time Caris LeVert converted an and-one with 15:42 left, the Wolverines were back up by 11.

Only 10 days ago, Purdue fell short of a four-game winning streak with a double-overtime loss at Northwestern. The Boilermakers want to recover the momentum and confidence they so recently enjoyed.

"I feel like we just got complacent and started doing their own things and getting away from what the coaches wanted us do do," Carter said. "Now we're trying to figure out how to get back to that and we're struggling.

"But it's never too late. We've still got a little bit of time. We're going to go back tomorrow and get things right."